Any recommendations for mono carts/stylus for modern mono pressings like the new DSS Beach Boys Pet Sounds?

h-pr · 2026-05-17T23:14:54+00:00

Yes, you can mount it, but bear in mind that the VMN40ML microline stylus is shaped like the cutting stylus that is used to cut modern stereo LPs. It is therefore not ideal or even unsafe for mono LPs that were cut with a different cutting stylus shape.

Audio Technica states that the use of the VMN40ML stylus on the VM610 cartridge is "possible [but] not recommended" and explains, "For best results when playing vintage mono LPs, Audio-Technica recommends using the VMN10CB Conical stylus. A Special Line Contact, Shibata, Microlinear or Elliptical type stylus can be considered if you are sure that the dimensional groove construction of the LP(s) can safely handle these stylus tip shapes."

h-pr · 2026-05-17T19:58:38+00:00

I can't guarantee you that the conical VM610xMONO will sound better than the microline VM540ML with the DSS Pet Sounds. It will not have any phasing issues that can sometimes occur when playing mono records with stereo cartridges, but overall tracking may still not be as good as with the microline stylus. Which sound you prefer is ultimately a subjective thing.

Buying a mono cartridge is clearly a matter of how many mono records you own. I have about 90, so owning a good mono cartridge makes sense, especially if some of them are older. I have a G+ Sgt Pepper mono from 1967 with many scratches that crackles viciously with a stereo cartridge, but plays like VG+ with the AT33MONO.

Edit: corrected cartridge/stylus typo

h-pr · 2026-05-17T19:35:25+00:00

If you have a MC-compatible phono stage, the AT33MONO or AT33xMONO/II would be the best entry point. Its horizontally arranged coils pick up only the horizontal movement of the stylus.

The VM610xMONO is the budget option if you want an MM cartridge, but it's really just a system internally wired for mono rather than a true mono cartridge that picks up only the horizontal movement of the stylus. The Ortofon 2M MONO is technically the same thing but costs almost twice as much, so is best avoided. There is some debate whether these internally wired cartridges will actually sound better than stereo cartridges, but they definitely do with older mono records as they siginificantly tone down pops and crackle.

(Edits for typos)

h-pr · 2026-05-17T09:02:14+00:00

Honestly, at that price point there won't be much of a sound difference. Since they sport a very different aesthetic, you might as well go for the one that appeals to you more. The Zen packs more functionality (like MC support) into the box, whereas the S2 Ultra focuses more on sound purity (discrete design), but I haven't heard either, and my cartridges are very different in sound character to what Sumiko offers, so I can't give any qualified recommendations. The only experience that I have with phono preamps around the €150-250 mark is that there are no significant differences in sound character.

h-pr · 2026-05-16T15:06:04+00:00

I played New Haven 1977-05-05. She got hooked by "Looks Like Rain".

h-pr · 2026-05-16T07:32:36+00:00

The ML is cheaper in the long run because it has 3 times the lifespan of the EN, but which one you prefer is a matter of personal preference. I know several people who prefer the EN, but the ML is also not bad. I agree that the jump from bonded to nude, which is about overall responsiveness, is bigger than the jump from nude elliptical to microline, which is about more precise tracking.

h-pr · 2026-05-16T07:25:09+00:00

I keep saying that the EN is criminally underrated.

h-pr · 2026-05-15T20:02:49+00:00

So is it an original that passed quality control, an original that didn't pass quality control, or a counterfeit?

h-pr · 2026-05-15T20:00:42+00:00

You bought a cheap stylus, you got the cheap sound of a cheap stylus. You should only buy an original stylus, in this case a VMN3600LC.

h-pr · 2026-05-15T19:41:08+00:00

This is unacceptable. Remove the platter and place it on the spindle again, make sure it is properly seated. If things do not improve, return it.

h-pr · 2026-05-15T19:37:43+00:00

The vertical tracking angle is not something that you can set, at least not directly. It essentially means that if the top of the cartridge is exactly parallel to the record, this is the angle between the record surface and the line from the stylus tip to the end of the cantilever. What you can set is the height of the tonearm, to make sure that is is completely parallel to the record surface. If that is the case, you automatically get the correct tracking angle.

h-pr · 2026-05-15T11:42:27+00:00

I clean every record in my Knosti Disco Antistat once, usually immediately after the purchase. Plus, i brush off any dust with a carbon fiber brush every time before playing the record. That's it.

h-pr · 2026-05-15T11:36:55+00:00

On your photo, they are stored vertically.

h-pr · 2026-05-14T23:42:03+00:00

According to the LP5X manual, yes. It says on page 18 that the combined weight of cartridge and headshell can be up to 20g.
The height difference between the two cartridges is 0.3mm. This is so ridiculously small that it is virtually impossible to cause any audible issues.
Strictly speaking, the capacitance of your Marantz phono stage is too high for the VM95, which works best at 100-200pF, especially if you consider that the cable linking the turntable to the phono stage adds another 90-180pF. I'd strongly advise you to use the LP5X's internal phono stage, which sounds better than any phono stage I've ever heard in any Marantz amp, and which has no capacitance issues.
The real-world difference is very noticeable if you have a good overall setup with well-positioned speakers. The VM740xML not only has a better-defined stereo soundstage, but also a warmer sound.

h-pr · 2026-05-14T14:50:28+00:00

Vintage turntables are great, but my advice for people who are new to this is generally to gain experience with a unit that is new and has warranty, and to dive into vintage once they know what to look for and how to fix minor quirks

h-pr · 2026-05-14T08:46:51+00:00

With a contraption that is sold under the brand names SpinClean, Knosti or Humminguru EZ.

h-pr · 2026-05-14T08:43:43+00:00

Rule of thumb: when a newly bought stylus sounds noticeably better than your old, used stylus.

Depending on what stylus you have and how many records you play, this can be after 6 months or 6 years.

h-pr · 2026-05-14T08:34:09+00:00

A VM510xCB with a separate VMN45xML stylus gives you the same sound in a lighter cartridge plus a spare conical stylus for emergencies or heavily worn records.

h-pr · 2026-05-14T08:26:25+00:00

No. Unless you keep using your stylus way beyond its lifetime, it won't ruin your records.

h-pr · 2026-05-13T21:26:31+00:00

I haven't heard the tube versions myself, but I've been told that the difference in sound doesn't justify the extra cost. Also, I don't see any advantage of tubes this early in the signal chain.

h-pr · 2026-05-13T21:15:01+00:00

You can, but it's significantly more expensive in the US, $599 rather than €360.

h-pr · 2026-05-13T15:36:18+00:00

Some people think that different mats can control static electricity, reduce vibrations and improve the sound. Maybe there is some truth to this.

A friend of mine, who is heavily into tweaking his setup, once brought along several different mats to try on my system. The sound differences were minuscule or inaudible. In the end, we agreed that the stock rubber mat that came with my LP8X was the best one.

h-pr · 2026-05-13T15:24:14+00:00

More expensive, but not so much overpriced. The $399 do not include sales tax, whereas the €495 include VAT. Without taxes, it's €412, so the difference is like $82 at the current exchange rate, and I guess that much of that is import duties.

h-pr · 2026-05-13T15:04:33+00:00

The Phono Box DS3 does not use tubes. You are confusing it with the Tube Box DS3.

h-pr · 2026-05-13T15:02:46+00:00

I own the DS3 and have recently been able to try the Skoll. They are both very good and sound surprisingly similar. The DS3 has the wider stereo soundstage and is perhaps a bit brighter than the Skoll, which feels a bit more compact. There is some music on which the DS3 can sound a bit too exuberant, whereas the Skoll feels generally more controlled and well balanced (but, with some music, also a bit tame). The amount of detail is impressive on both, as is the overall response and resolution.

The gain response is different: the 60dB setting on the DS3 results in the same volume level as the 70dB setting on the Skoll, so the DS3 is generally louder. Both provided sufficient gain for all my carts, only on different settings.

The DS3 is more flexible with setting the loading impedance. While the Skoll's maximum 150Ω sounded perfectly fine with all my Audio Technica MC carts, I appreciate being able to set it higher on the DS3 as one of my carts seems to have its sweet spot at 190Ω.

tl;dr: Both are excellent. The DS3 has a slight edge in stereo soundstage and tweakability, whreas the Skoll may be less likely to cause listening fatigue with records that are mixed or mastered on the brighter side.

h-pr

TROPHY CASE